The national sport of Canada skates into the Citadel Theatre during Playing With Fire: The Theo Fleury Story running Jan. 28 to Feb. 15.
The Citadel Theatre and Winnipeg’s Prairie Theatre Exchange co-production staring Shaun Smyth in the role of Theo Fleury is painful and poignant, funny and insightful.
The award-winning production tells the remarkable tale of NHL hockey great Theo Fleury and the dark issues that haunted him and derailed his career.
Fleury was one of the smallest skaters to ever lace up skates. But at five feet, six inches and weighing 180 pounds, he was a scrappy, tenacious player.
Fuelled by a mad fire, he scored lots of opportunities for fights. Fleury repeatedly battled drug and alcohol addiction, and lost much of his hockey fortune.
But after hockey, Fleury fought his demons with the same determination he fought other players. He also revealed he was a victim of sexual abuse under coach Graham James of the Western Hockey League.
Today Fleury is a motivational speaker and encourages others to speak against sexual abuse rather than suffer in silence.
Tickets start at $30 and are available at citadeltheatre.com.
The much-lauded Mary’s Veil is being remounted at the Arden Theatre from Jan. 30 to Feb. 1. This 23-song musical follows the joyous and turbulent story of Mary, the Mother of Jesus from the moment of the annunciation in her youth to her son’s devastating crucifixion.
The production is a benefit fundraiser to build a second wing for Alzheimer’s and dementia patients at West Country Hearth.
Tickets are $25. Call 780-459-1542. For groups of over 20 call 780-419-2500.
